Roger Morrison and Marshall Dawson were passionate about cocktails and the flavors of the Golden State, and they wanted to make something that tasted like it: grapes, fresh Pacific air, the grassy valleys, citrus groves, and eucalyptus. They started working on the blend for Jardesca, a series of red and white wine-based aperitifs each with a distinctively California personality.
Read MoreNothing more fun than picking the brain of a tried-and-true wine geek. For part 3, we talk wine with Clyde!
Read MorePrices on Burgundy wines are outrageous and it’s scaring even the most intrepid (and wealthy) of enthusiasts away from this beautiful region. Unfortunately, this go-big-or-go-home attitude has monopolized our attention, but in fact there are still plenty of ways to stick your toe into the world of Burgundy without sacrificing your retirement. You just have to know where to look. A great place to start is by finding a reliable producer you can trust and with a style you like. One of our favorites in this area is Château de la Charrière
Read MoreWelcome to Part 2 of the K&L story, where we delve into the decisions that kept the K&L boat afloat all these years, and that have made it the unique, multi-faceted enterprise that it is today.
Read MoreWhat’s the trick for long-lasting friendship? If you are Clyde Beffa and Todd Zucker, owners of K&L, the trick seems to be going into business together. Todd and Clyde met in 1947 when they lived across the street from one another in San Mateo. Legend has it that some sand was flung at their first meeting (they were two), but they nonetheless became thick as thieves. And, after 42 years in business together, they still are.
Read MoreLast night, Cinnamon and I enjoyed a fantastic bottle of 1996 Lynch-Moussas with a very nice piece of New York steak and I was moved to share a little bit about this Pauillac. I found this wine to be fantastically elegant, well balanced and restrained. It was a true gentleman of a claret, and seems in its prime at 23 years old.
Read MoreA lot has changed in Napa Valley over the last forty years. Today, if you’re looking to start a winery, you better have a few million dollars in your pocket. But back in 1974, when John Williams arrived on a Greyhound bus from New York, all you needed was little determination, a lot of hard work, some good friends and a motorcycle to sell.
Read MoreGrower/producer Pascal Lallement’s delectable Premier Cru Champagne from Chamery in the Montagne de Reims is textured and rich with incandescent energy. And for $34.99, it is an insane value for the price.
Read MoreIf you received our February wine club shipment, or if you went to our Loire tasting a few weeks ago, you might have had the opportunity to try the wines from Aurore Dezat. This small producer from Sancerre makes three wines, two Sancerre blanc and one Sancerre rouge, and is a relatively new sensation with our staff. We just started working with her a few years back and each year, her wines get better and better.
Read MoreThis past weekend, Cinnamon and I took a little mini-break up to Tomales Bay. We stayed at Nick’s Cove and made a trip out to the Hog Island Oyster beds, and we brought along a range of wine from star direct import producer Bruno Michel to have with our meals. It was a great success, and I thought I would take a moment to tell you all about them, as some of them are exceedingly rare and won’t last long.
Read MoreOur New Zealand Buyer, Stefanie Juelsgaard, just returned from a two week trip Down Under. She had the chance to stop in and visit with Te Whare Ra (a.k.a. TWR), which is one of our favorite small producers from Marlborough. Owned by a husband-and-wife team, Jason and Anna Flowerday, TWR makes some amazing, hand-crafted wines from their organic estate vineyard.
Read MoreThere are perks to working with the good folks at K&L Hollywood. Namely: they feed me. On Sunday, in honor of Valentine’s Day, Keith had us over for a fondue soirée fit for kings, and Clarissa brought not one but three desserts, including a cake made from aged Moët & Chandon. The others came bearing phenomenal libations. It was a decadent lovefest of the very best kind: one celebrating our long-term romance with cheese and wine.
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